This Quick Core Finisher Is a Stellar Way to End Your Workout Feeling Strong

If stronger abs are your goal, maxing out your workout with a core finisher is a smart, efficient way to bolster these all-important muscles. And we have a prime example right here of a quick yet effective circuit that’ll smoke every ab muscle in eight and a half minutes (or less!).

You won’t see any crunches or sit-ups in this three-move circuit, developed for SELF by Asher Freeman, CPT, founder of the Nonnormative Body Club in Philadelphia. Instead, it’s centered on moves that challenge your core to stay as still as possible.

There’s good reason for that lack of movement—and tons of carryover for your daily life. “We need our abs to be really strong and stable to protect our whole bodies as we’re moving through the world,” Freeman tells SELF. You may not realize it, but your abs—which include the rectus abdominis (frontside torso muscles), transverse abdominis (deep core muscles that wrap around your spine and sides), and obliques (muscles on the sides of your torso)—are actually endurance muscles, Freeman says. Essentially, they are “doing work all the time to keep us stable,” they explain. And one big job of the abs is to protect the lower back, Freeman says. Strong abs help prevent the spine from moving in ways that would cause it to take on a lot of stress, potentially upping its chance of injury.

Your abs play this protective role in tons of daily tasks, like bending over to pick up a heavy box, sprinting to catch the bus, or holding a suitcase in one hand. In these scenarios, your back naturally wants to move in certain ways. It wants to arch when you lift your package, rotate as you book it, and bend sideways when you hold your luggage. And while a little movement can be fine, too much can strain your spine, which is where your core comes in: When these muscles are firing, they help stabilize your torso and prevent excessive movement, ultimately protecting your lower back.

The below circuit smokes your abs in three different ways. In the dead bug, your abs fire to prevent your back from arching; in the side plank, they work to prevent your spine from bending sideways; and in the plank shoulder tap, they help your torso resist rotation. Put together, these moves build well-rounded stability in your core, which helps this mighty muscle group respond appropriately no matter what forces are thrown its way. Having strong, stable abs also helps the rest of your body—mainly, your arms and legs—perform movements with power, since they have a sturdy base to work from, Freeman says.

You can do this quick abs finisher after any type of workout, Freeman says. So whether you’re jonesing for a little morn burn post spin class or craving extra credit after arms day, this can fit the bill. It would also work well at the beginning of a workout as part of a warm-up. In that scenario, these moves would ignite your abs so they “are ready to protect you throughout” your exercises, Freeman explains.

However you incorporate this circuit, know you’re doing your abs—and really, your entire body—a whole lot of good. Ready to give this quick core finisher a whirl? Let’s get to it!

The Workout

What you need: Just your bodyweight. You may also want an exercise mat for comfort.

Exercises

• Dead Bug
• Forearm Side Plank
• Plank Shoulder Tap

Directions

• Do the following moves in the order listed below. Perform each for 30 to 45 seconds. (For the side plank, do 30 to 45 seconds on each side.) Rest 15 seconds between exercises.
• After you’ve done all three exercises, rest 1 minute, then repeat the circuit. Complete 2 rounds total.